# Tabak Especial vs. Java vs. Isla del Sol



## PlatinumRespect (Aug 16, 2013)

All are obviously infused with coffee. Aside from the sweetened tip on some, how would you guys classify the flavors of each? I know they have (slightly) different blends, mainly due to wrapper variations, but being that they're all manufactured by DE, I'd imagine the infusion process/materials are almost identical in each stick.


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## Drez_ (Jan 30, 2014)

Haven't had a full sized Tabak, but have smoked the cigarillo versions. I have a Isla del Sol in the humi, and Java Mint I've enjoyed on a couple of occasions but haven't had the standard Java.

I'm not a fan of the sweetened wrapper, haven't had a cigar with it yet that I've enjoyed. The mini Tabak had them, so I'm guessing the full sized also do. The Java Mint was pretty smooth both times I had it, and I like the tingle that the mint flavor adds to it. Have another one resting that I'll enjoy sometime soon. I suppose the Maduro wrapper helps bring a little difference into the taste as well.

I also don't know how much of the Rocky Patel factor comes into play with the Java line, or if they are the same with the exception of Tabak being DE only, and having the sweetness added.


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## sullen (Sep 10, 2013)

theyre all very different...... pretty sure the infusion is different on the tabaks and javas.

the isla is the mildest and least amount of flavor.
it's still pretty damn good.
and considering it's a mixed fill made from the tabak and java scraps, it's pretty impressive.

the java is very mocha and bold. like smoking mocha coffee and brownie batter, my fav.

tabak is smooth and more subtle. think the two have different blends and not just different wrappers.
they taste as you'd imagine, the negra is more mocha and the dulce is like a light and sweet latte.

the red is real nice too, i avoided this for a long time because i thought it was going to trade off the flavor for strength and taste more like a regular cigar with just a hint of coffee.
man i couldn't have been more wrong, it's ton of coffee flavor and med-full body.

i haven't tried the java latte and java mint, but if you like one you'll probably like them all.
the cigarillos are the only ones i found to not be so good.


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## Tombstone (Aug 22, 2013)

My wife loves the Tabak Cafe con leche the best followed by the Java mint. But if you enjoy coffee I think all three are worth trying once.


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## AuTechCoM (Jan 13, 2014)

All I have to add to this is I think out of the choices, The Tabak is the best. however I like to have a few Isla Del Sol on hand to hand out to friends that might want to smoke with me because i feel they are the sweetest and most mild of the bunch and have not had a single person not finish one like i had happen with all of the Java's that i handed out. and the price point of the Isla Del Sol is great for hand outs.


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## SeanTheEvans (Dec 13, 2013)

sullen said:


> theyre all very different...... pretty sure the infusion is different on the tabaks and javas.
> 
> the isla is the mildest and least amount of flavor.
> it's still pretty damn good.
> ...


+1, I'd agree with everything above, down to "I haven't tried the Java Mint". Just learned that the Isla del Sol is made of the others' scraps too, interesting. I have some cigarillos sitting in the humi, not sure what to expect from them, but if you're interested, I'd honestly suggest giving each a try, they do have a lot more variety betwixt them than one might assume.


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## AlliChaparra (Nov 4, 2013)

Tombstone said:


> My wife loves the Tabak Cafe con leche the best followed by the Java mint. But if you enjoy coffee I think all three are worth trying once.


You are correct my love. If I had to pick an order for these lines it would be
1. Café con Leche
2. Java Mint
3. Drew Estate Tabak Especial Dulce
4. Java
5. Isla Del Sol
6. Java Latte
7. Drew Estate Tabak Especial negra
8. Red Eye

Now the price I like best is the Isla Del Sol's. It's half the cost of the others...


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## MDSPHOTO (Sep 10, 2013)

I've tried all of the coffee infused/flavored sticks and would rank them this way.

1. Tabak Especial Red Eye- Strong Coffee & chocolate flavors enhance an already pleasant maduro smoke
2. Java Maduro The 58-More chocolate than coffee in this squishy soft stick, very loose draw
3. Java Mint- Chocolate mint dominates this stick with not much coffee
4. Tabak Especial Dulce- Like a sweet cappuccino
5. Java Latte- A squishy version of the TE Dulce, again with a loose draw
7. Isla del Sol- Just tastes sweet to me minimal coffee flavors if any
8. Solo Cafe- Some coffee and chocolate, but very artificial tastes
9. Tatiana Mocha- Same as the solo cafe
10 Dolce Vita- More cappuccino flavors, but the worst constructed cigars I have ever smoked


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## PlatinumRespect (Aug 16, 2013)

Great info here, guys. Thanks! I've only had a Tabak Dulce and Java Maduro, but have pretty much all of them in my humidor, so I'll come to my own opinion on the tastes soon enough. Still have to pick up the Mint Java myself. I hear good things.

And @sullen , interesting bit of info that the IdS uses the Tabak scraps. Never knew.


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## JustTroItIn (Jan 12, 2014)

Do all of these choices have sweetened tips?


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## Drez_ (Jan 30, 2014)

JustTroItIn said:


> Do all of these choices have sweetened tips?


My only experience so far is with the Java Mint.. they do not have sweetened tips.


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## PlatinumRespect (Aug 16, 2013)

JustTroItIn said:


> Do all of these choices have sweetened tips?


Tabak: Yes (Although I'm not sure about the Red Eye)
Java: No
Isla: Yes


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## sullen (Sep 10, 2013)

tabak dulce - sweetened
tabak negra - no
cafe con leche - sweetened
red eye - no


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## PlatinumRespect (Aug 16, 2013)

sullen said:


> tabak dulce - sweetened
> tabak negra - no
> cafe con leche - sweetened
> red eye - no


Well this certainly makes sense!


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## BooneDawg (Aug 20, 2008)

Isle Del Sol is my favorite cigar to smoke in the morning in the duck blind...can't be beat, and as has been mentioned at the current price point handing them out to blind mates goes a long way. I took some to Argentina and gave them to our bird boys, THEY went NUTS!!!!


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## AuTechCoM (Jan 13, 2014)

BooneDawg said:


> Isle Del Sol is my favorite cigar to smoke in the morning in the duck blind...can't be beat, and as has been mentioned at the current price point handing them out to blind mates goes a long way. I took some to Argentina and gave them to our bird boys, THEY went NUTS!!!!


Yeah I passed The Isla Del Sol out at my bachelor party and all my nonsmoker friends still ask if I have any of those when they come over. So I try to at least keep a few on hand. sometimes I will try to sneak a Java in on them but they never like them as much.


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## TMat (Jan 24, 2014)

MDSPHOTO said:


> I've tried all of the coffee infused/flavored sticks and would rank them this way.
> 
> 1. Tabak Especial Red Eye- Strong Coffee & chocolate flavors enhance an already pleasant maduro smoke
> 2. Java Maduro The 58-More chocolate than coffee in this squishy soft stick, very loose draw
> ...


I really enjoy the Java Mint and Java Maduro. Now I have to try the Red Eye.... Thanks a lot David!


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## PlatinumRespect (Aug 16, 2013)

sullen said:


> tabak dulce - sweetened
> tabak negra - no
> cafe con leche - sweetened
> red eye - no


Smoking a Tabak Negra now and it definitely has a sweetened tip. Albeit, not as much as the Dulce, but it's certainly present.


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## PlatinumRespect (Aug 16, 2013)

I have to add that I had a Red Eye last night and it also had a similar sweetened-tip as the Tabak Negra. Again, less than the Dulce.


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## cpmcdill (Jan 11, 2014)

One thing I have noticed with many sweetened tip cigars, is there is seldom consistency about how strong the sweetness is or how far up the head it has been applied. Maybe it's got something to do with which torcedor is making it and how much of a sweet tooth that individual has, but I've had instances where between two boxes of the same cigar, one will be intensely sweet, and in the next box the sweetener has only been lightly applied on the cap, which gets clipped off anyway, so no experience of sweetness when smoking. This might explain why, for instance, some have experienced Red Eyes as sweet, and others not.


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